Joker (2019 film)
Joker is a 2019 American psychological thriller film directed by Todd Phillips, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Silver. The film, based on DC Comics characters, stars Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker. An origin story set in 1981, the film follows Arthur Fleck, a failed stand-up comedian who turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City. Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Glenn Fleshler, Bill Camp, Shea Whigham, and Marc Maron appear in supporting roles. Plot In 1981, Arthur Fleck works as a clown-for-hire and lives with his mother, Penny, in Gotham City. The city is collapsing under unemployment, crime, and financial ruin, leaving segments of the population disenfranchised and impoverished. Arthur suffers from a neurological disorder that causes him to laugh at inopportune times, and regularly visits a social services worker to obtain medication. After a group of street kids beat him in an alley, Arthur's co-worker, Randall, loans him a gun for protection. Arthur also meets Sophie, a single mother who lives in a neighboring apartment, and invites her to his stand-up comedy routine. While entertaining at a children's hospital, Arthur's gun falls out of his pocket. Arthur is fired for this infraction; Randall lies and says that Arthur bought the gun himself. During the subway ride home, Arthur is beaten by three drunken Wayne Enterprises businessmen; he shoots two in self-defense and executes the remaining man. The murders unintentionally start a protest movement against Gotham's rich, with protesters donning clown masks in the unidentified killer's image. Arthur later learns that funding cuts are shutting down the social service program, leaving him without access to his medication. Sophie attends Arthur's stand-up comedy routine, which goes poorly; he laughs uncontrollably and has difficulty delivering his jokes. A popular talk show host, Murray Franklin, mocks Arthur by showing clips from the routine on his show. Arthur intercepts a letter written by Penny to local billionaire and mayoral candidate Thomas Wayne, alleging that he is Thomas's illegitimate son, and berates his mother for hiding the truth. Shortly after a visit from two GCPD detectives investigating Arthur's potential involvement in the train murders, Penny falls ill and is hospitalized. Arthur goes to Wayne Manor for answers, where he meets Thomas's son, Bruce. After a scuffle with the family's butler, Alfred Pennyworth, Arthur flees. At a public event, Arthur confronts Thomas, who tells him that Penny is mentally unstable and not his biological mother. In denial, Arthur visits Arkham State Hospital and steals Penny's case file. He discovers that he was adopted after being abandoned as a baby and that Penny was a neglectful mother who allowed her boyfriend to physically abuse him as a child, causing serious head trauma. Distraught, Arthur goes to the hospital and kills his mother. He returns home and enters Sophie's apartment. Frightened, she tells him to leave; it is revealed that their previous encounters were Arthur's delusions. Arthur is invited to make a guest appearance on Murray's show due to the unexpected popularity of his routine clips. As he puts on his makeup and outfit, he is visited by his former co-workers Gary and Randall. Arthur murders Randall but leaves Gary unharmed for treating Arthur well in the past. En route to the studio, he is pursued by the two detectives onto a train filled with clown protesters; one of the detectives accidentally kills a protester and incites a riot while Arthur escapes in the chaos. Before the show goes live, Arthur requests that Murray introduce him as Joker, a reference to Murray's previous mockery. Arthur comes out to a warm reception, but begins telling morbid jokes, admits that he killed the men on the train and rants about how society abandoned and mocked him. Arthur then kills Murray before being arrested. Riots break out across Gotham. One of the rioters corners the Wayne family in an alley and murders Thomas and his wife Martha. A group of rioters in an ambulance crash into the police car carrying Arthur and free him; he is hailed as a hero by the crowd and dances to their cheers. Arthur is imprisoned at Arkham State Hospital. Laughing to himself, his psychiatrist asks him to tell her the joke; he replies that she would not understand. He then runs down the hall being chased by the orderlies, leaving a trail of bloodied footprints. Cast * Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck/Joker * Robert DeNiro as Murray Franklin * Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond * Frances Conroy as Penny Fleck * Brett Cullen as Thomas Wayne * Dante Pereira-Olson as Bruce Wayne * Douglas Hodge as Alfred Pennyworth * Marc Maron as an agent * Shea Whigham as a to-be-confirmed character * Glenn Fleshler as Randall * Bill Camp and Shea Whigham as cops * Marc Maron as Gene Ufland * Leigh Gill as Gary * Josh Pais as Hoyt Vaughn * Brian Tyree Henry as Carl * Bryan Callen appears as a co-worker of Arthur * Justin Theroux cameos as a celebrity guest on Franklin's show. Gallery Trivia * Joaquin Phoenix was good friends with the late Heath Ledger who won an Oscar for his portrayal as The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008). * Joaquin Phoenix's first role in a comic book film. He previously turned down the title role in Doctor Strange (2016) as well as the chance to replace Edward Norton as Bruce Banner/Hulk in The Avengers (2012), because he was unwilling to sign on to the multi-picture deal that Marvel Studios was requiring. * The first R rated movie in history to make $1 billion dollars. * The first theatrical DC Comics film to be rated R since Watchmen (2009), released ten years earlier. * This film is the first theatrical live-action Batman spin-off since Suicide Squad (2016). * Although this is Robert De Niro's first comic book movie, he was considered for the role of The Riddler in Batman Forever (1995). * This is Zazie Beetz's second comic book movie after Deadpool 2 (2018). Category:Joker Films Category:DC Category:2019 Category:Batman Films